Controversial Plan to bring katrina pit bulls to the Bay Area

Controversial Plan To Bring Katrina Pit Bulls To The Bay Area


By Carolyn Tyler

Sep. 20 - Dozens of Hurricane Katrina's victims have come to the Bay Area. However, one group arriving next week might not be warmly welcomed by all. ABC7's Carolyn Tyler reports on some pit bulls that might be coming to a shelter near you.

Pit bulls and pit bull mixes make up the majority of dogs brought up for vicious and dangerous dog hearings in San Francisco. Yet owners say they make wonderful, loving pets if handled responsibly. Now a team of volunteers from the Bay Area wants to rescue some of those stranded in Louisiana.

This veterinarian and her assistant will leave their Napa clinic tomorrow. They're heading to Louisiana to help hundreds of four-legged Katrina survivors.

Dr. April Hildebrand, veterinarian: "In situations like this where people have lost everything, their pets are what keeps them grounded."

Many people grabbed their pets as they evacuated. Others were left behind. The local vets will focus on pit bulls.

Deassa Hurst, vet technician: "To help out those dogs that are kind of in limbo. They have nowhere to go. No one wants to take them or knows how to deal with them the right way."

The vets here may bring back as many as a dozen pit bulls from Louisiana, at a time when some lawmakers are trying to regulate the breed."

For example, there's a bill now before the governor that would allow cities and counties to mandate spaying or neutering for pit bulls and pit bull mixes. Today, San Francisco Supervisor Bevan Dufty introduced local legislation.

Bevan Dufty, SF supervisor: "Because they're spayed and neutered, they'll be much less aggressive and we'll break the cycle we've been experiencing where these dogs create an element of fear."

Recent maulings by pit bulls, including the fatal attack on a 12-year-old San Francisco boy make some question the wisdom of bringing more of the dogs to the Bay Area. But these volunteers say the animals' behavior will be tested.

Dr. April Hildebrand: "Our job is to find the ones with the right temperment that are adoptable."

The Louisiana dogs will also be spayed and neutered, complying with the bill passed by the state legislature. If the governor signs the measure, it will take effect in January.

 

Yeh good for them and boo what about the ones dieing in their home town right now. We have a simular situation here in Ga where people want to go and get Katrina animals and bringem back here. Good in thought and in heart but what about the over 5,ooo that die here every year. It is a tragedy and the folks and animals need help but to bring more animal back to an area with so many unwanted dogs may not be the wisest thing. I say volunteer witht he efforts but also think about saving the animal that are right there in your own home town first. Do not mean to sound cold but it is sometimes a heartless subject.
And how many of those rescue pits will go to homes where the owners have no idea how to handle a bull breed.

 

That's kind of iffy to me. They don't want the breed there at all anymore, now they want to help the breed. I know there are people out there that will help, but if they are banned, what makes them so sure that they dogs will get homes, then? What will become of the dogs?

 

Thats kind of odd let get rid of them, no lets help the pits and bring more here lol thats kind of funny I wish people would just make up there mind of who's side they're on.